This moment in Black History brought to you by Roscoe's Bail Bonds. Roscoe's, You Ring We Spring.

Zambian space program of 1962. You can't make this shit up.......

On Oct. 30, 1964, TIME magazine reported on the celebration of the independence of Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia), with its new president, Kenneth Kaunda.

But as the jubilant crowds celebrated, one man complained that the festivities were interfering with his "space program." Edward Makuka Nkoloso informed the TIME reporter that his Zambian "astronauts" would beat both the US and the Soviet Union in the space race -- by going to the moon, and then to Mars.

This was an unusual boast, to say the least. At the time, Zambia's population numbered 3.6 million, with barely 1500 African-born high school graduates and less than 100 college graduates. Nkoloso himself was a grade-school science teacher, and self-appointed director of the country's (unofficial) National Academy of Science, Space Research and Philosophy.

But he had big dreams, namely, using a catapult-inspired "firing system" to send a 10x6 aluminum and copper rocket holding ten Zambians and a 17-year-old African girl (and her cat) to Mars. He figured he could get them to the moon by 1965. All he needed was $700 million from UNESCO to fund the project.

Posted Feb-9-2012 By

riseupagainstthemachine

And I'm inclined to agree too. I think they're going to need a bigger rocket though. As for the music, I was kinda hoping for Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' instead of 'Major Tom'. That might have been more fitting.

Posted Feb-9-2012 By

gwarr

Posted Feb-9-2012 By

Ithinkthat1

Just think..right now...there is a 51 year old aluminum capsule racing towards the moon at around 3 miles an hour and slowing, full to the brim with Zambians finest space forces...and a girl..and her cat...lol.